NJ Man Charged with Harassing New Canaan Woman

A New Jersey man turned himself in to Stamford Police Department after allegedly harassing a New Canaan woman he dated more than 20 years ago for an extended period of time, including sending a variety of ordered goods and food to her home, according to Lt. Diedrich Hohn.

The woman and her husband allegedly began to receiving harassing phone calls in December 2012 from a man identified by authorities as Donato Anthony Minicozzi, 49, of Lions Head South Blvd. in Brick, NJ., Hohn said.

Minicozzi was allegedly calling the woman and her husband at their home and at his place of business in Stamford's financial sector, which is when Stamford authorities got involved.

Minicozzi was allegedly telling the woman he wanted her and she belonged to him, telling her husband that he was going to have her and ordering large amounts of delivery food, like large quantities of Chinese food or 20 pizzas at a time. He also allegedly began threatening to send strippers and call girls.

Hohn said the woman dated Minicozzi back in their college days, but couldn't initially figure out who it was that was calling. Police said she eventually pieced it together because of information Minicozzi allegedly had about her family and college experience.

Hohn said the woman's husband had been recording the harassing phone calls and provided police with copies of all the conversations. In them, Minicozzi also allegedly made comments about wanting something in return in order for the victims to be left alone. He did not mention money, but some other type of compensation.

When police finally tracked Minicozzi down, Hohn said Minicozzi was surprised because he'd allegedly been using a disposable cell phone to make the calls.

Once confronted by authorities, he allegedly admitted to making the calls, apologized, saying it was a joke that had gotten out of hand, and drove from Brick to Stamford to turn himself over to police. Hohn said in addition to allegedly admitting to the phone calls, Minicozzi also provided police with the cell phone from which the calls were made.

Hohn said they had no further thoughts on a motive or how or why he'd tracked the woman down after so many years, though Minicozzi also worked in the financial sector and knew who the woman's husband was. He said Minicozzi only offered that he'd been lonely after recently going through a divorce and took things too far.

Minicozzi was charged with first-degree harassment (terrorizing or threatening), second-degree threatening and attempt to commit first-degree larceny (extortion). He was issued a $50,000 bond, which he posted.